Tire-shoe and method of constructing same.



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APPLICATION FILED AUG. I0. I9I2. l QQ. Patented May 4., 1915.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i WTFD WFATE PATENT @FFQEQ CHARLES T. DICKEY, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO VDRHEES RUBBER MANUFACTURING COME-ANY, QF JERSEY ClTY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

TIRE-SHOE AND METHOD OIF CONSTRUCTING SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May d, i915.

Application filed August 10, 1912. Serial No. 714,396.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES T. DICKEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire-Shoes and Methods of Constructing Same, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying sheets ofdrawing, forms a complete and concise description.

My present invention rela-tes to a tire-shoe carcass as well as a completed tire shoe and to the method employed in its construction.

My invention comprehends the formation of a tire shoe of the wrapped type; that is, a shoe in which the friction fabric in the form of a strip is wound continuously around a suitable form or mandrel. In my improved tire and the method of its manufacture each convolution, rin the winding, overlaps the preceding convolution until a complete annular tube is formed. The tube thus formed is circumferentially slitted around its inner periphery, thus leaving free end portions of each convolution of the material which are employed for reinforcing the tread-portion of the shoe. After the slitting operation the bead wires are inserted in place and each end of the strips thus formed, (which is of sufficient length to permit of its extending across the tread-portion of the tire) is reversed back upon itself to increase the ply of fabric of which the tire shoe is composed, and one free end overlaps the opposite free end to reinforce and still further increase the plies of fabric extending around the tread portion vof the shoe. Thus I am enabled to produce a tire shoe which is economical in use of friction fabric and still obtain the maximum strength and durability at the tread-portion of the tire-shoe, which portion is subject to and must endure the greatest wear in service. It will be understood, of course, that this so-called friction fabric is a suitable cloth surfaced with vulcanizable rubber that is finally subjected to vulcanization in finishing the shoe.

A further object of my invention is to construct a tire shoe in such a manner as to secure yielding side walls, s0 that the bending action to which they are subjected when under lo;u"l-ral^r}.'iug conditions will not cause them to crack or break, and to accomplish this I use a loosely-woven fabric inn stead of following the prevailing practice of using a close or finely-woven fabric, which produces a wall of considerable stiffness and which has a tendency to break down under distortion when in use.

Finally my invention comprehends the new and novel method of constructing the new form of tire just described.

ln the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one preferable embodiment of my invention by way of example only, and as it may be possible to depart from or vary the structural details illustrated and described herein without departing from the broad features of the invention, I wish to be understood as not limiting myself to this illustrated and described embodiment, and therefore reserve to myself a fair range of equivalents aswell as such latitude in matters of detail as may fairly come within the scope of my appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates the form of mandrel used in the manufacture of my improved tire shoe. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective detail showing the rst step in the wrapping or forming process. Fig. 3 is a i similar illustration showing the second step in the process of manufacture, with the bead wires in place. Fig. 4 is a like View showing the carcass with its fabric portion completed. Fig. 5 illustrates the method of forming the completed clencher-bead. Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary exaggerated details illustrating the fabric weave, showing the interstices between the warp and weft threads filled with the vulcanizable rubber with which the fabric is also surfaced.

1n detail, a. forming mandrel comprised of suitable sections 1 and la, is employed. These sections are provided with depending extensions which are suitably bolted together as at 1b. Detachably fastened to the inner peripheral portion of the annular mandrel formed bythese sections, is a gage or measuring mandrel, the sections beingy indicated at 2. The mandrel forming sections 1 and 1a and the mandrelQ, are joined or fastened together by suitable bands 2a, or in any other suitable manner.

In forming the tire shoe a strip 3, of friction fabric is spirally wound around the mandrels 1 and 2, as shown in Fig. 2. In the winding each convolution is made to lap three or more of the preceding adjacent convolutions so as to form a plurality of superimposed plies or layers of fabric with but one single strip'- of material. This is done to reinforce and increase the Wearing quality of the tire shoe. When the strip 3, has been Wound completely around the annular mandrels and a complete tubular form of the lfriction material is produced, the material is slit, as at 4, circumferentially at its inner periphery midwayof the Width of the mandrel 2, the latter being grooved as. at 5, as a guide for the knife or cutting instrument. The mandrel 2 is of such Width as to provide the proper length to the several separate strips formed by the slitting operation, as will be presently understood.

Upon the completion of the slitting operation the strips are drawn inwardly and made to conform to the contour of the core or mandrel formed by the sections 1 and 1av (see Fig. 3), and the clencher bead wires, which are annular in form and indicated at 6, are positioned as shown, after which one end of the strip, indicated at 7 is reversed upon the previous core-encircling portion of the strip and superimposed thereon. opposite end of the strip is thereupon similarly reversed and drawn back upon the body of the strip and superimposed upon the opposite end 7, of the strip see Fig. l1). With the form of Winding described it will be apparent that a reinforced tread'is obtained comprised of a maximum number of plies or layers with a minimum expenditure of friction material. That portion of the tire indicated at A-A (see Figs. 4 and 5), called the tread portion, Which is subjected to the greatest Wear and is most apt to puncture,-is, by my method, reinforced and greatly strengthened in a most economical and efficient manner. It will be understood that the friction fabric has, previous to the ivinding, been treated with a suitable rubber preparation or rubber-like compound so that the superimposed layers will adhere and, under vulcanization, produce an intimate, compact, homogeneous mass. Around thc inner peripheral edges of the tire shoe thus formed, a clencher bead of unvulcanized rubber 9, is formed by suitable forming mandrels 10, and an adhesive restraining strip 11, is provided for the purpose of supporting and holding it in position, this restraining strip 11 merging into the tread portion of graduated thickness, which may be made of rubber or other suitable vulcanizable material after which the shoe thus formed is submitted to a process of vulcanization.

In rsum, as above described, my new and improved method of constructing tire shoes consists in Winding a continuous single strip of friction material spirally around su1table forming mandrels-Which operation, oWlng to the fact that one single strip length lto partially again encircle the carcass, then positioning the bead rings, then reversing and turning each extremity of the strip back upon itself, one extremity of the strip overlapping the opposite extremity of the strip and being superimposed thereon, the ends or extremities of each strip extending over the tread-portion of the tire shoe to reinforce and strengthen this portion thereof.

Having thus described the general construction and method of Winding the friction fabric in the production of my new and improved tire, will now describe that feature of my invention which pertains to the flexibility of the side walls of the tire shoe, which feature is incident to the construction above described, inasmuch as the particular character of the friction fabric used in producing my tire shoe is inherent therein.

Referring to Fig. 5, the dotted line B-B indicates those points in the tire vwalls Where the bending action is greatest, and the practice prevails in the manufacture of tire shoes of using every close and finelywoven fabric for the purpose of producing a strong and, as nearly as possible, impenetrable body of material. The closer the Weave of the material, the greater the stiffness, and when a complete tire shoe embodying a number of superimposed layers of closely-Woven tire fabric is completed, the side Walls ofthe shoe are consequently very stiff and unyielding, the result being that when subjected to use-and particularly when the tire has not been sufficiently inflated-the walls are bent down undei' the pressure and weight of the vehicle, which causes the fabric to break, resulting in blowouts and destruction of the tire shoe. Aside from this, in a very closely-woven fabric,

greater friction is created between the Warp and weft threads are separated from each other and are not in Contact, as in the closely-woven fabrics now commonly used. 13o

` of giving' under upon the. ini

aisance ln my improved fabric the friction is min` imized. With a tire wound With friction material incorporating in its structure a friction fabric woven in the manner l pro# pose, side Walls of'a very yieldable character are provided, which have the characteristic stress or strain, Without liability of cracking or breaking due to abrupt 'bending action, as is commonly experienced when a closely-woven fabric is employed.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new herein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

he herein-described method of for1n ing tire-shoe carcasses consisting in spirally Winding a single strip of friction fabric on an annular mandrel to form an endless tube.

then slitting the annular tube around its in-l ner periphery to form a plurality of short strips of sufHcient length to permit the free ends of each strip to be reversed and turned bach: upon the body of the carcass and extend over the Itread-portion thereof, then positioning the bead Wires, and drawing the ends of each strip around the bead Wires and initially-formed tube and overlapping the free ends of the strips on one side of the carcass With the opposite free ends of the strips.

2. rlihe herein-described method of fornaing tire-shoe carcasses which lconsists in spiraliy Winding la single strip of friction fabric around an annular mandrel to form an endless tube with eachfconvolution' of the Winding strip overlapping a plurality of other convolutions, then thus formed around its inner periphery, then inserting bead rings, l of the short strips formed by the slitting on one side or the carcass around the bead ring on 'that side, reversing these ends back upon the initially-formed tube and extendlng them.

across the tread-portion of the carcass, then drawing the oppositevr ends of the strips around the other bead ring, reversing these ends of the strip and turning them bach' tially-formed tube, and overlapping the opposite ends to reinforce the tread portionl of the carcass.

3. As anew article of manufacture, an

`then slitting the tube then drawing 4the ends' l plies of the fabricthan the annular tire-shoe carcass comprising 'superimposed layers of friction fabric formed by a'plurality of overlapping encircling strips of friction material, the ends of each strip being reversed back upon themselves, one end of each strip overlapping its opposite end and both ends extending across and reinforcing the tread-portion of the carcass 4. The herein-described process of forming a tire shoe, which consists in spirally Winding -a continuousstrip of fabric upon a mandrel, said' fabric being treated with a vulcaniz'able friction giving material, to fill the interstices between the Warpand the weft thereof and prevent contact between the strands of the material, then slitting the tube thus formed along its .inner periphery,

positioning the bead rings, then drawing the free ends of the fabric on one side of the carcass around the contiguous beading and carrying them over. the tread then drawing the free ends of the strips or the opposite side of the carcass around the adjacent 'beading and carrying them over the tread portion, these latter strips overlapping the strips rst manipulated, then providing a clencher bead of unvulcanized rubber, then applying a'vulcanisable cover of graduated thickness merging intol said clencher bead and submitting the Whole to the process of vulcanization.

5i is a new article of manufacture, a tire shoe carcass provided with yieldable side Walls formed of layers of loosely'woven fabric .made from a continuing strip 'ciI materialv divided andformed inte a plurality of strips the ends being disposed atopposite entremities of the tread portion of the carcassl and overlapping one another, forming a rein-- forcedtread portion of a greater number ot' side `Walls of the carcass.

:in Witness whereof ll have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

Louisa E. Sir/Isora, Hnnnmjrra E. Weissman.,

portion, 

